Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the languages/phrases spoken in the books or movie. I do own Nicole, Susan, Jake, their parents (Howard and Lara Lawson, Tom and Elizabeth Daniels, Fred and Angelina Nox), Matt Thompson, the maid: Maria, and Bill. I do not own Alias, the actors/actresses: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, or Jennifer Garner.

Chapter 9

Early the next morning, just before dawn, the Fellowship gathered in the lower courtyard to prepare for the long journey ahead. Three of the hobbits were gathered around Bill the Pony, Boromir and Gimli were standing silently off to the side, and Aragorn was no where to be found. Jake and Legolas came down the stairs at the same time, but not before giving each other a cold look of disdain.

Jake marched away in a huff. He didn't like that elf, not one bit. There was something about him that made Jake extra protective of Nicole and Susan. Dressed in his own clothes and a black cloak, he stood by himself, waiting for Nicole and Susan to arrive.

Legolas could sense Jake's cautiousness and protectiveness around him, but thought it was folly. He would never hurt Nicole or Susan for it wasn't in his nature to hurt anything that wasn't evil. Sure, he found Nicole attractive, but that was merely lust! Of course! He merely lusted after her! Why didn't he come to that realization before?

The elf felt relief wash over him. All this time he thought it was something serious, but it was just merely lust. Of course she was beautiful and a good singer, but eventually her repulsive personality would prove that he did not care for her, as she did not care for him. It was his body reacting and not his heart. He would just have to keep his… eyes… from… roaming…

'Oh Valar, take me now!' he thought to himself. For it was at that moment that two dark creatures descended down the courtyard stairs.

The first, with her long, wild, black hair, wore tight, black leggings that showed off her lean legs. Her top was made out of thick, black material and left her right arm and shoulder completely bare. It made a diagonal line from her right side to her left shoulder, showing off the right half of her collar bone nicely. Finishing it off with a black cloak and her sword strapped across her back, Nicole walked right past Legolas with out so much as a glance.

On the outside, Legolas looked totally indifferent and unemotional. On the inside, he was screaming.

'I'm only attracted to her appearance. It will pass once her true nature shows. It is only lust. Oh, why must she torture me so? Ladies are not suppose to dress like that! At least not respectful ones.'

The second, with her short, straight, almost-white hair, wore black leggings as well, but silver chain mail! She had searched high and low for her signature article of clothing, and found some loose-fitting, silver chain mail to wear over her black tank top. Once again, she had managed to look like a chain linked fence. Like Nicole, Susan wore a black cloak and strapped her bow and quiver to her back, but also downed a pair of black gloves, minus the fingers.

Boromir looked on with questioning eyes. The past times he had seen her, she was in a modest, yet complimenting dress. Now… he didn't know what to think. Would a respectful lady wear something so revealing? He knew they were not of this world, but did all women in their home dress like that? How were they to wed! Still, her face was beautiful, and it was her inner fire that sparked his interest. If he wanted her to like him, he would have to respect her decisions. Maybe he could change her mind?

"You two are getting some strange looks," whispered Jake as they approached him. Nicole and Susan turned around to see Boromir, Gimli, the hobbits, and a few wandering elves looking at them quizzically.

"Pssh!" sneered Susan. "I don't care; this is how I want to dress."

"Where did you get those anyway?"

"Nicole and I woke up early and went 'forging' because Arwen didn't have anything we liked."

"What about that top?" asked Jake. "I don't think elves wear that kinda stuff often."

"Oh I just took a black dress, and cut off the skirt and the right arm," explained Nicole with a proud look. Jake rolled his eyes, and looked off to the left.

"Hey… isn't that Arwen and Aragorn?" he asked, indicating the direction he was looking in. Nicole and Susan turned around to see. Sure enough, Arwen and Aragorn were speaking in hushed whispers. Aragorn pressed something into Arwen's hands, but she gave it back, and then walked away, leaving a distraught looking Aragorn.

"We'll be right back," muttered Susan as she grabbed Nicole's hand. They walked quickly over to the room Arwen had just entered.

They quietly walked the long hallway, scanning it with their eyes and ears. As soon as they heard soft crying, it suddenly stopped, and Arwen appeared around a corner.

"May I help you with something?" she asked softly, smiling weakly. Nicole and Susan exchanged sorrowed glances, and Nicole moved forward.

"You once told us that you thought of us as sisters," explained Nicole with Susan backing her up. "Well we think of you as our sister, and if you ever need anything…"

Arwen eyes turned from a pained happiness, to their true, sorrowful state. Nicole and Susan walked forward and embraced her in a hug, stroking her hair, and hushing her tears with soft words. Arwen finally pulled back to face them.

"Hannon le," she whispered, looking into their eyes. "Please watch over Aragorn for me… He does not have hope yet…" Susan rubbed Arwen's arm in comfort.

"Of course we will, sweetie," said Susan with one last embrace. Nicole then went to hug her and whispered in her ear.

"Even though he doesn't have hope, you can…" Arwen released her, and nodded her head.

"I must get ready for the departure," she said meekly, turning to head toward her room. Nicole and Susan stood in the middle of the hallway, watching her retreating form.

"It's funny…" started Susan, turning to Nicole. "We never use to be like this. I never use to be like this. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would care about someone I met two days ago." Susan ran her fingers in her hair, and took a seat on a near by bench.

"What's happening to us Nicole? Are we losing our edge? Are we going to get hurt again?"

Nicole tensed at her words. No, she would never allow them, especially herself, to be hurt again.

"No," Nicole calmly answered, "I won't let us get hurt again. Just as long as the three of us stick together, we'll be okay… I'm… I'm having my nightmares again, Susan. I was scared to sing! There's something about this place that's making us put our guard down, and we can't let that happen… But then again… this place feels so good! I feel loved! I've always felt loved by you and Jake, but I feel… so much of it here!"

"It's good to feel loved by more than two people. We've never really had that."

Nicole moved to sit next to Susan as she continued to talk.

"Like Elrond… and Arwen… and Boromir…"

"Boromir? I thought you said you hated him?"

"Yeah, but… the way he looks at me… well… use to anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"He looked at me kinda funny this morning… like I was a hobo."

Nicole began to ponder about the people they had met. Could they trust the other members of the Fellowship?

"I think we can trust Elrond and Arwen… and maybe Gimli and the hobbits… cause they don't give us strange looks."

Susan nodded in agreement.

"But Boromir, Legolas, Aragorn, and that Gandalf guy… I don't know…"

"Why not?" Susan asked.

"Legolas always gives me this cold stare… as if I was nothing, like he has no emotion. And he doesn't respect me… He came into my room and it gave me the creeps!" Nicole said with a shudder.

"But what about earlier? When you reached for the ring?"

Nicole looked at Susan in bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember? You tried to grab the ring, but Legolas grabbed you first… And then you went all… lovely dovey…"

"With Legolas?"

Susan nodded her head, and awaited Nicole's response.

"Ewww… No! He's like Matt Thompson! He acts all… arrogant and… and pompous! I would never be 'lovey dovey' with him!" she stated, using her fingers as quotation marks for "lovey dovey."

"What about Boromir?" asked Susan hesitantly, with her eyes to the ground.

Nicole paused to look Susan in the eye and squeezed her hand. "I don't want you to get hurt, but you should make your own judgment."

Susan sighed and shook her head. "I still think we were brought here for a purpose, Nicole. Even if it is messing with our heads."

"Yeah, I'm beginning to think that too… ever since I got Arwen's sword, I've felt this sense of… belonging… a sort of calling, if that makes any sense." Both sat on the bench in silence for a while.

"What if this is all just hormones?" asked Susan, staring at the ground, kicking at a stray leaf. Nicole's eyes widened at the comment.

"Susan…. We don't have tampons."

Susan jumped up and stared in shock at Nicole. "What the hell are we suppose to do?" she yelled. Nicole gripped the edge of the bench, and thought hard.

"Come on! We gotta find Arwen!" she said, grabbing Susan's wrist and pulling her down the hallway.

As the girls ran to find Arwen, Legolas stood next to Boromir, Jake, and Gimli, but neither of them spoke. Legolas tried to decipher the immense amount of feelings he had toward this human girl. Nicole was quite beautiful, and a lovely singer, but was it love or lust? It had to be lust! It was her looks and her song that attracted him, not her personality.

Nicole's personality was disgusting. She was always insulting him, disrespecting him, and challenging him to stoop to her level. And that led him to say things he regretted. He had reflected on his behavior the past two days, and couldn't believe he acted so… so… un-elf like! And it was all her doing! Why, he did not know.

Nicole and Susan were like shooting stars; beautiful, yes, but men couldn't catch them. And even if they tried, they were burnt badly. But there was something about Nicole that Legolas couldn't put his finger on. Susan was more forward, and wore her true emotions on her sleeve. But Nicole was hiding something, Legolas could tell. Anytime he had approached her, she was either cruel in a defensive manner, or unemotional and indifferent.

Legolas finally came to the conclusion that it was lust and the fact she was a mystery. And this human girl was quite a puzzle. Nicole was caring toward her companions, the dwarves, Elrond, and Arwen, but thorn of a rose to everyone else. Hiding in the dark with her deep secret… but what could it be?

Jake, on the other hand, knew exactly what Nicole's secret was, for he was there. Shaking the bad memories from his mind, he glared at Boromir and Legolas. They were getting too close to the people he loved the most. And that ranger man, who was currently standing with the hobbits and the wizard, Jake didn't trust him either.

After yesterday in the library, Jake had been extra cautious around Aragorn. Jake didn't like the fact that he was a descendent of the man that caused all this trouble in the first place. What if he turned just like his great-great-great-grandfather or something along that line, and tried to take the ring? What if he tried to hurt Nicole or Susan? NO… no, that wouldn't happen.

And Boromir! Jake let out a tiny scoff. Who did that guy think he was? Jake always figured Susan would go after the guys that could actually present a challenge, but this guy was obviously not a challenge. He was weak too.

Jake saw the way Boromir looked at the ring yesterday. He saw how everyone, including the self-righteous elves looked at it. However, he probably was looking at it the same way. Like Nicole, he didn't really want to go on this quest, but he felt like he had no choice. The ring called to him, and it called to Nicole too.

Yes, Jake saw the way she reacted to the ring yesterday, and was worried. Nicole had been hurt so much in her life, what if this quest hurts her too? Maybe he should have listened to her yesterday, and agreed to go back to the car.

But why were they brought here? Was there something that needed to be done? Was there something that needed to be changed in the timeline? Jake regretted never reading the books, because that knowledge would have been real helpful now. He sighed and faced the fact that they would have to walk in the dark.

Boromir was also worried about the quest. If only he had the ring, then maybe he could save Gondor. Osgiliath was reclaimed, but was weak as well. Couldn't the power of the ring save his people? Why were the elves and this Aragorn so demanding in that it needed to be destroyed? Were they hiding something from him?

Ever since he had arrived in Rivendell, he felt scorned. The only person who had accepted him was Susan… well… not immediately, but he could tell she was softening up to him. She was a true fighting spirit, much like her friend, but not so secretive. Susan was a bright flame among the ice and earth, shining above all the rest, not afraid of being different. Boromir admired that in her. If only he knew her father, then maybe he could ask for her hand in marriage, after this was all over of course. But would they survive to see the end?

Boromir looked up just in time to see Susan and Nicole hurry down the stairs in a secretive manner. Nicole was clutching a small, brown satchel while Susan was scanning the area for anybody watching. Jake walked over to them cautiously as if they were lionesses, hording over a piece of meat.

"You two okay?" he whispered. Nicole and Susan whipped around while stuffing the satchel behind them, staring at Jake with wide eyes.

"We're fine, why do you ask?" Nicole asked in a rush voice.

"Yeah, what do you want?" snapped Susan. Jake merely shrugged his shoulders and went to stand next to them as Elrond and the elves of Rivendell came forth to bid them goodbye. Frodo also finally appeared to the group. Nicole noticed he looked as sad and as nervous as ever.

The Fellowship said their bitter goodbyes. Gimli and Gloin shared a fatherly embrace, Legolas and the Rivendell elves exchanged elvish blessings, Aragorn bid goodbye to Elladan and Elrohir, and Gandalf and the hobbits said farewell to Bilbo. Nicole and Susan approached Elrond.

"Pen tithin," he muttered softly before he engulfed the two crying girls in his arms. He first kissed Susan on the forehead, and then Nicole.

"The only advice I can bestow upon you," he said, "is to rejoice in your music, and open your hearts and minds." The girls nodded and then stepped back, while Jake approached Elrond. They both grasped each other's forearms.

"I do not need to tell you to watch over them," said Elrond, "for you have done so with courage and love for so many years." Jake's heart swelled with pride and love for the first time, but his face remained strong and set. He then stepped down to join the girls as Elrond overlooked them.

"Nai i Valar nauvar as elyë," he said with one final look to Nicole. Though they did not know what he said, they felt his blessing in their hearts.

Arwen then came forward and embraced the girls one last time. Once she released them, she looked kindly at Jake, who stood a couple of steps back. With one good push from Nicole and Susan, Jake moved toward Arwen, who embraced him like a brother, and kissed him fondly on the cheek.

"Take care of yourselves, noss nin," she said softly. Nicole saw her look over Jake's shoulder at Aragorn, who smile politely. Nicole grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Don't worry," she whispered to Arwen. "You'll see him again." Arwen turned to look her in the eye, and smiled.

"Hannon le."

"You're welcome."

Arwen quirked an eyebrow at Nicole. "You learn elvish very quickly."

"Meh. It was a good guess." They exchanged a light laugh and embraced one more time before Nicole, Susan, and Jake joined the Fellowship.

"The Ringbearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom," said Elrond, speaking to the Fellowship. "On you who travel with him, no oath nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you." All the members of the Fellowship gave a respectful bow to the Lord of Imladris.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer," said Gandalf, looking at Frodo. The members turned to him for guidance, but Frodo looked like he could give none. None the less, he turned and marched forward, appearing to be the proudest of hobbits. Gandalf followed him, and then the trio and the rest of the members.

"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" whispered Frodo, but Nicole could hear. She turned around as if to head back into Rivendell, but Susan and Jake stuck out their arms to hold her back. Nicole gave a small whimper in defeat and turned back around just in time to hear Gandalf say left.

"Just think Nicole," said Susan, putting an arm around her shoulder. "We could now be in the books and movies back home!"

Nicole turned her head to look at Susan. "Who do you think would play us in the movies?"

Susan walked quietly for a minute, thinking up an answer. "Jake would be… Brad Pitt, cept he would have to cut his hair and dye it. I would of course be Angelina Jolie, cause I need a kick ass actress to play me."

"Of course," agreed Nicole.

"And you can be Jennifer Garner."

"Isn't she that chick from 'Alias'?"

"Yeah."

"She doesn't look anything like me!"

"Yeah she does!"

"I'm smaller, and I have black hair, not brown."

"You have the same eyes!"

"No we don't!"

The men of the Fellowship sighed and let their heads hang in distraught. It would definitely be strange with two women.